Spoiler Warning: The Woman King
Historical war epics have long been a staple in Hollywood. Even a casual moviegoer can immediately call several to mind. There are movies that focus on more modern conflicts, like Stephen Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan, a sprawling story about a rag-tag group of World War II soldiers on a prolonged rescue mission, as well as more ancient fare, like the tale of Maximus, a former general turned slave, in the film Gladiator, and Braveheart’s telling of Scottish swordsman William Wallace’s quest for independence against the King of England.
However, the history of Africa, rife with massive conflicts between factions both from the continent and abroad, has long been ignored as a potential movie focal point. The recently released film The Woman King seeks to remedy that. It tells the story of General Nanisca, who is portrayed by Viola Davis as she wages war against a rival African Empire, as well as European invaders. The battle scenes featured in this picture are every bit as enthralling as those in the best war flicks, and it also explores many important themes.
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These are some of the most powerful moments in The Woman King.
General Nanisca Liberates Women from the Oyo Empire
Early in The Woman King, audiences set a shot of General Nanisca stalking through the underbrush before unleashing a vicious attack on a group of Oyo Empire Soldiers. The opening battle scene is shot beautifully and establishes General Nanisca as a near-mythical level warrior. Armed with a wicked blade, Nanisca slices through her enemies with ease, all the while sporting a stoic grimace, her eyes often ablaze with the light from nearby fires.
RELATED: The Woman King Review: A Magnificent Viola Davis Commands Riveting African Epic
After slaughtering scores of enemy combatants, the General frees a group of formerly captured Dahomean women who were taken captive by the Oyo Empire. Upon realizing that the Oyo Empire had enslaved his citizens, King Ghezo of Dahomey decides to engage in war against them.
A New Generation of Women Train to Become Agojie
After General Nanisca liberates women from the clutches of the Oyo Empire, she decides to train them to become Agojie. It is always refreshing to see women presented powerfully on screen. It would be dismissive to categorize The Woman King as simply a female empowerment film. The story of the newly-minted Agojie is made especially important by the fact that the women who become warriors over the course of this film were formerly enslaved. The women quickly become adept at combat, and under General Nanisca’s command, they prove to be an almost unstoppable force.
RELATED: The Woman King: How Viola Davis Trained for Her Role as General Nanisca
Freed Slaves Take Revenge on Santo Ferreira
Though the film starts out focusing on the conflict between the Dahomey Kingdom and the Oyo Empire, it eventually turns its focus to colonial themes when European slave traders partner with the latter faction. This alliance is reminiscent of the tragic but true historical fact that African kingdoms would, as previously mentioned, sometimes collaborate with slave traders in order to advance their imperial position.
At the end of the film, one of the key figures behind the alliance between European slavers and the Oyo Empire, Santo Ferreira, is brought to justice in a brutal fashion. Malik, one of the new Agojie warriors, releases several of Santo’s slaves from captivity. The newly freed slaves seize Santo and drown him. This scene is one of the most powerful in the film, as it represents the epitome of taking revenge against colonial forces.
The Woman King brought to light a lot of important themes. It explores historical racial struggles, focusing on the horrific plight faced by countless innocents during the slave trade. It also tackles feminist issues, portraying women who were formerly enslaved as capable of becoming formidable warriors. The film told a fascinating story and still managed to contain all of the epic clashes and heroics necessary for a war movie. It ends with General Nanisca becoming the titular Warrior King, which undoubtedly cements her as one of the most powerful women in modern cinema.
